Microblading Comes With Warning About Who Can Perform It

By Myriam Masihy

NBC 6's Myriam Masihy reports.

(Published Friday, Nov. 17, 2017)

Adriana Veras thought learning microblading would be a good career move.
“I thought I could make a lot of money,” Veras said.

Veras along with Mercedes Duarte and six others signed up for a 2-day course offered by the Puerto Rico-based Papaya Boutique and Academy. They learned about the course on social media. Papaya has 95,000 followers on Facebook.

Brad and Margaret Matheson are facing charges after authorities say they took thousands from high school students for trips that were canceled.

“We were told we didn’t need a license to do the procedure,” Duarte said.
Ortiz denies she said that.

But the academy’s manual says microblading “does not require a license.”
Veras, Duarte and the others learned it does when they called the state’s Health Department after the course.

NBC 6's Alina Machado reports.

(Published Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2017)

“They told me the State of Florida considers microblading a form of tattoo and therefore you need a tattoo artist license,” Duarte said.

As for the course Ortiz offered at that hotel, the Health Department sent a statement that read: “To perform these types of classes where a live subject is used, the company must obtain at least a temporary license and the person performing the procedure must be licensed.”

For more than a month, Ortiz said by email that she would show NBC 6 Responds her “permits and licenses.”

She stopped answering emails after Investigator Myriam Masihy sent her an email from the Florida Department of Health that read “…at this time, Papaya Boutique and Academy does not hold a license in Florida.”

The Health Department said they were going to reach out to Ortiz to make sure she was aware of the requirements for the courses. Since then, Ortiz cancelled a microblading course scheduled in Orlando.

Veras, Duarte and the others asked for a refund, but say they don’t expect to get their money back.

Their situation is a good lesson for anyone interested in learning microblading or considering having the procedure done.

Charme International in Southwest Miami-Dade is a State of Florida approved education facility. Students at Charme attend a three-day microblading course that starts with a mandated health requirement.

“The first requirement that they need to take before the class is the blood-borne pathogens and communicable diseases to prevent cross contamination between clients,” said Charme International President Norma Olivera.
At Charme, students learn everything from selecting the correct pigmentation to the importance of disposing needles in the proper containers.

“As we protect our clients, we protect ourselves,” Olivera said.

After Charme students complete the course, they take an exam.
Then they can get a license. But then they are required to work at a licensed facility.